Best David Salisbury Podcasts (2025)

1
41: UK Strategic Defence Review ‘Fudge’ & Israel-Iran War 56:56

14d ago56:56

56:56

In this episode host Iain Ballantyne and returning guest Dr Gary Blackburn convene to discuss the substance, or otherwise, of the UK’s recently published Strategic Defence Review (SDR) paper. They also tackle topics relating to the Israel-Iran War, the British reaction to it and also what President Donald Trump may or may not do next. Gary proposes…

1
40: Banned by Russia, Decorated by Ukraine 58:24

2M ago58:24

58:24

Our guest is John Foreman, naval officer and former UK Defence Attaché in Moscow and Kyiv. He provides amazing insights into what it was like dealing with the regime of Vladimir Putin as Russia invaded Ukraine and reflects on other dealings with the Russians, at sea and ashore. Topics discussed include the halcyon days of the old Cold War ending at…

1
39: A World at War: Inevitable or Avoidable? 1:06:43

3M ago1:06:43

1:06:43

In this episode of the Warships Pod guests David Murrin and Dr David Blagden, with help from host Iain Ballantyne, discuss a worldwide struggle in a multi-polar era that is rapidly turning kinetic - from Ukraine, to the Red Sea and Gaza. It may soon burn even hotter should China invade Taiwan and/or the USA attack Iran. A number of topics are discu…

1
38: Trump Presidency v2.0 & UK Defence 48:14

4M ago48:14

48:14

In this episode of the Warships Pod Dr Gary Blackburn returns to have a chat with host Iain Ballantyne about the impact of the second presidency of Donald Trump. Topics discussed include the transactional fashion in which the returning POTUS runs domestic and foreign policies along with defence matters, plus how he seems intent on creating a tripol…

1
37: State of the US Navy Pt2 with David Axe 30:05

6M ago30:05

30:05

In the second of our podcast episodes devoted to the State of the US Navy - as it and a troubled world sail into 2025 - guest David Axe chats with host Iain Ballantyne. A range of topics, including many covered in the recently published Warships IFR ‘Guide to the US Navy 2025’, are covered in the discussion. After giving his overall take on the Ame…

1
36: State of the US Navy Pt1 with Dr Emma Salisbury 40:41

7M ago40:41

40:41

In the first of two podcast episodes on the State of the US Navy as it (and a troubled world) sail into 2025, guest Dr Emma Salisbury chats with host Iain Ballantyne They look first of all at areas Emma wrote about in the recently published Warships IFR ‘Guide to US Navy 2025’, namely: the USA’s ‘shipbuilding woes’; the future size and composition …

1
35: Nukes, Putin’s Threats, Trump Returns & UK Defence Cuts 44:26

7M ago44:26

44:26

As the United Kingdom strives to maintain a credible strategic deterrent in the face of Russian aggression – including threats from President Vladimir Putin to ‘go nuclear’ due to alleged Western interference in the Ukraine War - our guest on the podcast is Dr David Blagden. Together with podcast host Iain Ballantyne he considers the case for augme…

1
34: Missile Wars & the Risk of WW3 1:03:04

9M ago1:03:04

1:03:04

Dr James Bosbotinis draws on his considerable expertise in naval weaponry and the threats they pose, along with offering insights into geopolitical developments that do not augur well for world peace. The discussion with host Iain Ballantyne includes the part played by the US Navy and Royal Navy defending international shipping in the Red Sea and G…

1
33: Making the Royal Navy More Lethal 47:17

12M ago47:17

47:17

Our guests on this episode of the podcast are Dr Emma Salisbury and Will Freer, who recently wrote a commentary for Warships IFR, headlined ‘How to Achieve a More Lethal Royal Navy’, which was based on their recent report for the Council on Geostrategy. Here they discuss various topics associated with the report with podcast host Iain Ballantyne. T…

1
32: Dormant NATO & Russia: Confront or Contain? 25:06

1y ago25:06

25:06

Back for a second discussion of hot topics are guests Dr Gary Blackburn and Dr David Blagden. With host Iain Ballantyne, they weigh up the prospect of European NATO nations being forced to cope with a bigger burden of defence, if a re-elected President Trump decides to to pull American land forces out of the Continent. It is a policy that is being …

1
31: National Service Electioneering & Drones Seduction 35:56

1y ago35:56

35:56

Our guests for this episode are Dr Gary Blackburn and Dr David Blagden who, with host Iain Ballantyne, discuss a recent proposal by the UK Government to introduce a new National Service scheme for 18-year-olds. Iain asks if it is just a case of blatant electioneering by the incumbent Sunak administration, which looks set to lose a summer General El…

1
30: Naval Intelligence in WW2 - Eavesdroppers & the Secret War 52:36

1y ago52:36

52:36

Our guest on this episode is Dr Helen Fry, the author of more than 25 books on the social history of WW2, not least British intelligence activities, spies and the like. She is a leading authority on many related topics, including on the ‘secret listeners’ who eavesdropped on what enemy Prisoners of War were discussing. This was in order to gain ins…

1
29: A Fragile Nuclear Deterrent in a Dangerous World 45:43

1+ y ago45:43

45:43

In part two of their discussion, Warships Pod host Iain Ballantyne and guest Doug Littlejohns touch on numerous things, not least nuclear deterrent matters. As in the previous episode, the situation during the Cold War is compared with today’s, including the problem of Royal Navy submarines that carry the deterrent becoming elderly and badly in nee…

1
28: On the Brink of World War Three? 31:34

1+ y ago31:34

31:34

In the first part of a discussion with Captain Doug Littlejohns, who commanded a nuclear-powered hunter-killer submarine against the Russians during the old Cold War, the primary topic is whether or not we are on the brink of World War Three. Doug provides insights gained when he played key roles tasking NATO submarines during 1980s spikes in tensi…

1
27: UK Defence Troubles & the New Cold War 35:12

1+ y ago35:12

35:12

A National Audit Office (NAO) report on ‘The Equipment Plan 2023 - 2033’ in the UK makes for grim reading, revealing a massive so-called ‘black hole’ in the Defence budget, which means there is apparently no money for key projects, including future warships. In part two of the discussion, host Iain Ballantyne and guests Gary Blackburn and James Bos…

1
26: Guyana War Clouds & Houthi Attacks 35:02

1+ y ago35:02

35:02

This episode begins with a discussion by host Iain Ballantyne and guests Dr Gary Blackburn and Dr James Bosbotinis about the bid by Venezuela to annex a major part of neighboring Guyana. How might navies attempt to prevent escalation as the communist client state of Russia and Iran considers its next move against an oil-rich Commonwealth nation? Ho…

1
25: Red Sea Missile Shoot-down 1:09:21

1+ y ago1:09:21

1:09:21

In a fascinating and absorbing discussion host Iain Ballantyne and guest Tom Sharpe discuss the US Navy destroyer USS Carney shooting down cruise missiles and drones over the Red Sea. As a former warship captain, Tom provides deeply insightful expert analysis on how the incident may have unfolded. But the podcast first grips listeners with Tom’s in…

1
24: Cold War Secret Diesel Submarine Missions 1:02:21

1+ y ago1:02:21

1:02:21

Our special guest for a deep dive into British naval espionage during the Cold War is Mike Hurley, a veteran of undersea deployments in dangerous waters. As a very young submariner in the late 1950s Mike endured marathon patrols in diesel-electric submarines, most notably HMS Taciturn. In this fascinating discussion with Warships Pod host Iain Ball…

1
23: ‘Oppenheimer’ Movie Review & US Navy Versus UFOs Latest 29:06

2y ago29:06

29:06

In part two of their podcast discussion Iain Ballantyne and Gary Blackburn provide their opinions on the Hollywood movie ‘Oppenheimer’, about J. Robert Oppenheimer, the so-called ‘father of the atom bomb.’ It includes a discussion on the historical context of The Bomb’s use to end WW2, especially in light of the US Navy already bringing Japan to th…

1
22: UK Defence Word Salad & War in the Black Sea 43:32

2y ago43:32

43:32

In part one of this discussion between Dr. Gary Blackburn and host Iain Ballantyne, they investigate the recently published UK Defence Command Paper (DCP). It was meant to lay out how British national defence and security will be achieved, especially in light of the on-going Ukraine War. However, it is regarded by some as nothing more than a ‘word …

1
21: Cdr Rob Forsyth Pt 2 – Polaris ‘Crash Dive’, Perisher ‘Teacher’ & SSN Command 34:41

2y ago34:41

34:41

In the second and final installment of our discussion with British submarine captain Commander Rob Forsyth, we hear how a hard-charging Soviet spy vessel forced him to order HMS Repulse to ‘crash dive’. It happened as the Polaris missile submarine deployed from Scotland on a deterrent patrol in the early 1970s. With the UK and its NATO allies locke…

1
20: Cdr Rob Forsyth Pt1 - Cuban Missile Crisis to Nuclear Deterrent 48:55

2y ago48:55

48:55

We continue our occasional series talking to Cold War undersea warriors with the first installment of a two-episode dive into the submarine career of Commander Rob Forsyth. Entering the Royal Navy in the 1950s, after a brief excursion into the surface fleet, Rob found himself aboard the submarine HMS Auriga, undertaking a patrol during the Cuban Mi…

1
19: Ukraine War Aspects & a new Battle of the Atlantic 45:00

2y ago45:00

45:00

In part two of a discussion by Mark Grove and Dr Gary Blackburn with host Iain Ballantyne, the tasty and varied menu includes naval aspects of the Ukraine War and whether or not a new Battle of the Atlantic is shaping up as Russia seeks to win its so-called ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine it has sought to establish stronger links with China…

1
18: AUKUS Submarines, the UK’s Indo-Pac Tilt & Defence ‘refresh’ 42:09

2y ago42:09

42:09

In part one of a two-part special, guests Dr Gary Blackburn and Mark Grove discuss an array of hot topics with host Iain Ballantyne. Iain asks Gary and Mark to give their perspectives on submarine aspects of the Australia- United Kingdom-USA (AUKUS) defence pact following the recent big announcement on the way ahead in San Diego. They consider the …

1
17: Combat Divers from WW2 to the Ukraine War 49:46

2+ y ago49:46

49:46

Michael G. Welham is our guest, talking to host Iain Ballantyne about the mysterious world of undersea warriors known as ‘combat divers’. Michael has been involved with diving, both military and civilian, for some 40 years. He was a Royal Marines Commando, with skills in diving, canoeing, and parachuting. Mike was also a member of 21 Special Air Se…

1
16: Spying on Russians & Inspiring Tom Clancy 1:27:49

2+ y ago1:27:49

1:27:49

In this podcast our guest is a legend of the Submarine Service. He is Doug Littlejohns, who had a remarkable career in the Royal Navy, both as a submarine captain and in command of an intelligence-gathering warship during the Cold War. Across a fascinating podcast discussion with our host Iain Ballantyne, we hear from Doug about his exciting time o…

1
15: Cold War Under the Sea: Andy Benford 1:49:54

2+ y ago1:49:54

1:49:54

In this episode host Iain Ballantyne talks to Andy Benford, a Cold War undersea warrior who saw service in diesel ‘dirty boats’ of the British and Australian navies and aboard nuclear submarines, not only in hunter-killers but also the UK’s Polaris deterrent force. Aside from Andy’s brush with death during a notorious 1972 hovercraft accident in th…

1
Episode 8: Mystic Chat: Winter Solstice and the Crossroads of Time 53:37

2+ y ago53:37

53:37

In this episode join us as we talk about how the time between sunset on yule and sunrise is a magical time in between the solar old and new year. A time for magick and mystery.

1
Episode 7: Mystic Chat: Honoring the Ancestors with Laura Gonzalaz 52:24

2+ y ago52:24

52:24

In this episode Laura Gonzalaz talks to us about the Mexican Day of the Dead and honoring the Ancestors.

1
14: State of the US Navy 2023 58:30

2+ y ago58:30

58:30

In this episode of the Warships Pod, host Iain Ballantyne is joined by two long-time and highly valued contributors to Warships IFR magazine and also to the “Guide to the US Navy.” They are Dr Robert Farley, who currently teaches at the Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce, University of Kentucky and David Axe, a journalist, aut…

1
Episode 6: Mystic Chat: Witchcraft Activism with David Salisbury 53:26

2+ y ago53:26

53:26

Join us as we welcome witch, activist, and author David Salisbury as we talk about using magick and witchcraft to change our communities.

1
13: Dunkirk & the Little Ships: Myth versus Reality 51:11

2+ y ago51:11

51:11

Our guest for this episode of the Warships Pod is Dr. Philip Weir, a much esteemed naval historian who specialises in the history of the Royal Navy in the first half of the 20th Century. His most recent book is ‘Dunkirk and the Little Ships’. Discussing that famous event is the major topic during his chat with podcast host Iain Ballantyne. In looki…

1
12: The Queen, the Royal Family & the Royal Navy 29:09

3y ago29:09

29:09

In this special episode, as the United Kingdom and the world says farewell to Her Majesty The Queen, Queen Elizabeth II, host Iain Ballantyne talks to long-time WARSHIPS IFR contributor Richard Johnstone-Bryden. Richard is the author of several books that highlight the strong connection between the Royal Navy and The Queen. When writing ‘The Royal …

1
11: Ukraine Naval Blockade, War by Hunger & Top Gun: Maverick 59:43

3y ago59:43

59:43

We have as our guest this time David Larter, a noted commentator on US Navy matters and also global naval developments. First up for discussion will be the naval side of Ukraine War, with David giving his perspective on the Russian blockade, plus growing realisation of the global impact of Ukrainian grain shipments being blocked. Podcast host Iain …

1
Episode 5: Mystic Chat: Summer Magick 51:55

3y ago51:55

51:55

In this episode we discuss a variety of ways to enjoy the magick of summer including healing, gay pride, and starting a magical riot.

1
10: The Naval Present and Future is no Piece of Cake 1:08:43

3y ago1:08:43

1:08:43

Host Iain Ballantyne is joined by two of the UK’s big thinkers on naval strategy, namely Dr Gary Blackburn and Mark Grove, for a wide-ranging and fascinating discussion of hot topics. The subjects they tackle include who is winning the Ukraine War at sea, plus its implications for navies long and short term, not least a worrying lack of lethality i…

1
9: Sinking of the Moskva & Ukraine War Impact 50:54

3y ago50:54

50:54

Host Iain Ballantyne and guest Dr Robert Farley reconvene for another podcast chat, this time looking at the sinking of the Russian Navy cruiser Moskva. In addition to unpicking the event - for example, was the Black Sea Fleet flagship hit by Ukrainian missiles, or was she destroyed by an accidental explosion? – They assess the incident’s impact on…

1
Episode 4: Mystic Chat: Witchcraft and Mental Wellness with Dr. Drake Spaeth 54:20

3y ago54:20

54:20

In this episode we welcome Dr. Drake Spaeth to speak with us about mental wellness. Join us as we delve deep into the psyche and ask the question is magick real and can it help us with mental healing?

1
8: Ukraine, a New Cold War & Some Hot Battleships 1:01:55

3y ago1:01:55

1:01:55

In this episode host, Iain Ballantyne talks to Dr Robert Farley, a long-time US-based contributor to WARSHIPS IFR magazine, who currently teaches at the Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce, University of Kentucky. They begin with a survey of the Russia-Ukraine War, looking at how the West has handled a major conflict in Europe …

1
Episode 3: Mystic Chat: Kelden Mercury and The Witches Sabbath 55:28

3+ y ago55:28

55:28

In this episode we welcome author and Traditional Witch Kelden Mercury to talk about his new book and Trad Craft.

1
7: Ukraine War: Conflict at Sea & the Nuclear Spectre 56:37

3+ y ago56:37

56:37

Host Iain Ballantyne and returning special guest James Bosbotinis, who has deep insight into Russia’s strike capabilities and strategy, in this episode discuss the naval side of the Ukraine conflict and attempt to clear away some of the fog of war. In a wide-ranging chat they look at how things have unfolded so far, with attention paid to the follo…

1
6: Ukraine Crisis: The Russian Navy’s Global Power Play 57:28

3+ y ago57:28

57:28

Special guest for this episode is defence and international affairs analyst Dr. James Bosbotinis who is a regular contributor to WARSHIPS IFR magazine. He possesses deep insights into Russia’s naval capabilities, along with the maritime strategy and long-range strike capabilities of Moscow’s surface warships and submarines. Topics discussed with po…

1
Episode 2: Mystic Chat: Christopher Penczak 54:53

3+ y ago54:53

54:53

In this episode we welcome the wonderful Christopher Penczak! Join us for a conversation of magick and wisdom and enter the magical world of Christopher Penczak.

1
S2E3 - Horror in 2022: A Look Ahead 26:39

3+ y ago26:39

26:39

Episode Notes Scream 5, directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett Halloween Ends, directed by David Gordon Green The Black Phone, directed by Scott Derrickson Texas Chainsaw Massacre, directed by David Blue Garcia Nope, Jordan Peele Dark Harvest, directed by David Slade Salem’s Lot, directed by Gary Dauberman Evil Dead Rise, directed by L…

1
5: Ukraine Crisis: Russia’s ‘cruise missile diplomacy’ & NATO’s Response 46:02

3+ y ago46:02

46:02

This episode sees WARSHIPS IFR Editor Iain Ballantyne and intelligence affairs specialist Chris Carr looking at naval aspects of the Ukraine Crisis. They ponder the prospect of a Russian invasion of Ukraine and the associated moves at sea by both Moscow’s and NATO’s task groups. The topics include: plans for live-firing exercises by Russian warship…

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4: A Dunkirk ‘Little Ship’ and Saving Lives at Sea 40:54

3+ y ago40:54

40:54

In this episode of WARSHIPS POD host, Iain Ballantyne chats with Jack Lowe, who connects with the sea while working as a documentarist ‘using photography, audio, film, and words to shine a light on the greatness of others’ (as Jack himself puts it). Jack’s main pursuit in recent times has been The Lifeboat Station Project, which he describes as a m…

1
Episode 1: Mystic Chat: Witchcraft and the need to be famous 55:03

3+ y ago55:03

55:03

This is our first show of Season 3! Welcome our newest cast member Frater Aaron. In this episode we discuss how some pagans need to be famous by promoting witchcraft. Is this helping our community or harming it? Find out !

1
S2E2 - Scream, you queen! 31:28

3+ y ago31:28

31:28

1
Episode 13: Mystic Chat: Winter Traditions and Magick 2021 51:47

3+ y ago51:47

51:47

In this episode we spend time with our podcast family and discuss winter magick and holiday traditions and superstitions and yes...spells for the season!

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3: Cinematic Telling of Finale in Pursuit of Battleship Bismarck 37:10

3+ y ago37:10

37:10

"Bismarck: 24 Hours to Doom" is the epic true story of the Royal Navy’s pursuit of the German battleship Bismarck during WW2, a production that is having its world premiere on a major TV channel in the UK this weekend. Broadcast date: October 30th Time: 6.55pm Channel 4 In this podcast special, we talk to the author of the book the television progr…

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